Community+College+Aid

 Community College & Financial Aid

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=__** Brief History of Community Colleges **__=

** The Morrill Acts’ Effects on Higher Education **
Community colleges in America have long been known for their mission to bring education to the common man and granting equal access regardless of social class. Though much change has occurred since its conception, the focus of the community college has remained the same. In the 1800’s, higher education’s aim was to graduate educated men of the clergy, and most colleges and universities were private and secular. As time passed, institutions of research developed out of this model, and a more liberal arts curriculum followed. Proposals to create different types of higher education institutions were made due to instructor’s dissatisfaction with having to teach “common” students who did not have a strong academic background. In 1851, [|Henry Tappan], President of the [|University of Michigan] insisted that universities would never become true research and professional development centers until the lower-level preparatory work was removed from the university system. (Cohen & Brawer, 2003, p.6) This idea was widely supported, and in 1862, much changed because of the [|Morrill Act]. The Morrill Acts provided state-sponsored land for the purpose of building agricultural and mechanical colleges and universities to meet the growing needs of educating American workers. [|Land-grant colleges] not only provided training for men in these fields, but opened the educational doors to women as well. This could be seen as the beginning of the community college model for two reasons. First, access, for the first time, was an important consideration. Secondly, land grant colleges provided both technical and liberal arts education choices to students. Early land-grant colleges also were required to offer military training. Suddenly, the government had a hand in higher education, which had been dominated previously by religious sponsorship (Quigley & Bailey, 2003, p.13).



The Creation of the Junior College
The shift towards government-funded higher education led to greater diversity in and a huge increase of institutions in the early 1900’s. Land-grant institutions originated out of the need for agricultural education; however, as technological advances were made during the turn-of-the-century, a need for technical schools developed to keep up with these changes. [|Joliet Junior College] in Joliet, Illinois opened as the first junior college in 1901 (Quigley & Bailey, 2003, p. 14). Junior colleges in their early years were both traditional trade schools and served as extensions of primary schools. Many actually drew their budget directly from public schools and were considered to be grades 13 and 14 (Cohen & Brawer, 2003, p.142) Debate over this model grew in the 1920s and 1930s as junior colleges formed their own place in the higher education system. By 1925, the [|American Association of Junior Colleges] defined as junior college as, “an institution offering two years of instruction of strictly collegiate grade which develops a different type of curriculum suited to the larger and ever changing civic, social, religious, and vocational needs of the entire community in which the college is located”(Cohen & Brawer, 2003, p.4).

**The Rise of the Community College **
The community college was established as a continuation of the junior college with its liberal and inclusive mission. The wording change occurred mainly to eliminate their reputation of being an extension of high school, and of being substandard in quality. Though there still existed private 2-year colleges, the title of Community College gradually came to be used for most comprehensive, publicly supported institutions, regionally accredited to award associate of arts or associate of science degrees in the 1970s (Cohen & Brawer, 2003, pp. 4-5). The six roles of the community college are defined as providing, “academic transfer programs, vocational-technical education, developmental/remedial programs, continuing education, community service, assessment, and skill training and placement” (Paulsen & Smart, 2001, p. 482).

** Financing Community Colleges **
 Community Colleges have traditionally served lower-income populations than four-year universities, yet they have been disproportionate in the amount of aid offered. This is mainly because of the comparatively low-cost tuition fees at junior and community colleges and how the federal government matched these costs with financial aid (Paulsen & Smart, 2001, p. 487). During most of the Pre-WII era, student tuition and fees made up for the lack of government funding to junior/community colleges; however, this changed over the years as funding shifted to include not only tuition, but also local tax money and state revenues (Cohen and Brawer, 2003, p.142). By the mid-1980s, federal and state aid was essential to the continuation and growth of community colleges, and by 1993, $34.5 billion was given to community college students in the form of grants and loans by the federal government. By the year 2000, this amount had more than doubled (Cohen & Brawer, 2003, p.149) It was stated that, “No other sector in American higher education depends on state and local revenues as much as community colleges” (Paulsen & Smart, 2001, p.481). With such a diverse scope of programs and degrees being offered, along with a lower-income and more urban population of students, there has always been a need for increased funding of community colleges to continue to serve the community. In this economy, it is a dangerous balancing act of how to allocate educational funds to cover the expense of all forms of higher education. Students now face many financial struggles in finding ways to stay ahead of rising tuition rates and in financing their education. If the community colleges are to stay true to their foundational mission of accessible education for all, they must be both educational and financial leaders in the 21st Century.

=** __Community Colleges Today__ **=



Technical/Vocational Colleges
[|Vocational Education – Basic Grants to States]

__**Description**__ Federal funds are made available to develop more fully the academic and career and technical skills of secondary and postsecondary students who elect to enroll in career and technical programs. In accordance with the statute, at least 85 percent of the funds are allocated to eligible local recipients.

__**Types of Projects**__

This program provides states with support for state leadership activities, administration of the state plan for vocational and technical education, and sub-grants to eligible recipients to improve vocational and technical education programs. To be eligible for a sub grant, an eligible recipient must operate a vocational and technical education program that:
 * Strengthens the academic, vocational, and technical skills of students participating in vocational and technical education programs, achieved by integrating core academic subjects into vocational and technical education programs through a coherent sequence of courses;
 * Provides students with strong experience in and understanding of all aspects of an industry;
 * Develops, improves, or expands the use of technology in vocational and technical education;
 * Provides professional development programs to teachers, counselors, and administrators;
 * Develops and implements evaluations of the vocational and technical education programs carried out with funds under the [|Perkins Act], including an assessment of how the needs of special populations are being met;
 * Initiates, improves, expands, and modernizes quality vocational and technical education programs;
 * Provides services and activities that are of sufficient size, scope, and quality to be effective; and
 * Links secondary vocational and technical education, including [|Tech-Prep programs], with postsecondary vocational and technical education programs.

** Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) **
 __Tribal Colleges Financial Aid:__ At SIPI (Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute) they offer an array of student support services. They offer help in residential services, counseling, recreation, and general support which includes transportation and student government. -The Residential Program, offers support to students with quality, safe and affordable housing to all residential students.  -The counseling center provides, quality counseling services to all students and academic programs.
 * There are 16 Tribal Colleges that are members of the AACC
 * 14 of the 16 are located in rural and remote areas in Montana, Wisconsin, Arizona, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, South and North Dakota

-The Recreation Program provides leisure activities, and helps SIPI students lead active healthy lifestyles.

-Student government helps represent various student clubs and organizations. [] At Tohono O’odham Community College they offer an array of student services to their students directly through their homepage. The most specific service they focus on is the Career Services for students. They provide career fairs, student development sessions, and a list of jobs available from various programs of study. [] Most of the Tribal community colleges offer various support systems for their students ranging from job services to counseling and recreation centers. The schools provide a good amount of services for a community that is very prideful and pretty tight knit.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">** Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) **

 * According to the [|White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities] here are 15 US 2-year HBCUs
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Upcoming Events:
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">National HBCU Week Conference -- September 12-15, 2010
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">[|Technical Assistance Conference] April 26-28, 2010

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> Community colleges are no longer the lowbrow fringe institutions they once seemed. The skyrocketing costs of traditional four-year colleges have impelled a growing population of students to evaluate their educational opportunities at the local and regional community college level. Guess what? Despite plain-Jane veneers many community colleges now offer cutting edge technical programs and very successful [|two-to-four-year transfer programs], often called [|2+2 programs]. An equally impressive range of financial aid and student loan products fits the community college mold.

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">**__HBCU- Student services__** Bethune-Cookman University Bethune-Cookman University an HBCU Community College offers various Student support services. The main intention of these support services are to provide student learning opportunities that follow the Universities mission. The school provides a long list of student support services for all students which include: <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">The Center for Academic Support Services <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">The Center for Academic Retention and Enrichment Services <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Library Learning Resources <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Honors Program <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Testing Services <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Academic Advising <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Student Support Services <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Student Affairs Sector <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Campus Housing and Residential Life <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Disability Services <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Career and Program Services <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Student Health Services <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Religious life <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Student Activities <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Black Males in Higher Education Think Tank <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Etc. [] <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"> __Edward Waters College-__ <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"> The Student Support Services program or SSS provides opportunities for academic support, development, and to help motivate students toward successful completion of their education. The academic enrichment program provides support in areas such as Mathematics, reading comprehension, writing, study skills and time management. The counseling services provides individual and group counseling sessions, financial aid and money management workshops, career exploration, assistance for graduate and professional programs and academic advising. The school also offers, tutorial services, which consist of one on one help with many students. [] <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"> __Summary of HBCU Student Services:__ <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"> The Support Services in HBCU community colleges is similar to that of all universities around the country. Most of these Universities try to provide a sense of guidance to these young adults whom are experiencing many changes in their lives. With support services, students will have a place to go to get the help they need, and to not feel too overwhelmed. <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> The main difference I noticed in the HBCU community colleges is the sense of community they provide. They offer a lot of support for all their students and give them many opportunities to grow. This is very helpful for students to continue to move forward into other parts of their lives.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 120%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; msobidifontweight: bold;">** Community College Costs vs. Traditional College Costs **
<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">There’s a difference between what you pay at a community college compared to what you pay at a traditional college, but what exactly is the difference and is it worth it? Compared to private colleges that on average may run you an annual tab of well over $20,000, you might find you can wring a full two years out of a community college for under $5,000. Cost at a community college will depend on: the type of program you’re pursuing and regional location. Save even more money when you opt to live at home.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">[|Community College Loans]

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">__[|****Valencia Community College****] – Orlando, FL __ <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">//“Applying for financial aid is a multi–step process. Our web pages provide information you will need to know to successfully apply for financial aid and complete the process.//

Valencia provides financial aid services in the following ways:
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Financial Aid Videos: **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Click on the Financial Aid TV icon to get short video answers to general questions about the financial aid application process, eligibility requirements, and information on federal programs.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Online: **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;"> Information about Valencia’s financial aid programs, as well as copies of all required forms can be found on this website. Simply use the navigation bar on the left side of this page.

**Diversity of the Student Body**
The [|American Association of Community Colleges] (AACC) reports in their [|2009 Community College Facts at a Glance] that 44% of all US undergraduates are community college students. Ethnic demographics show that 52% of Hispanic undergraduates are community college students. Other ethnicities that share such high figures are 52% of black, 43% of Native American, and 45% of Asian/Pacific Islander undergraduate students call a community college home. Forty percent of first-time freshmen choose community colleges as their starting point in their higher education career (AACC, 2009).

In other demographics, 47% of community college students are receiving some kind of financial aid. Twenty-three percent are receiving federal grants, while 11% are receiving federal loans and 12% are receiving state aid (AACC, 2009). Delving deeper into the realm of community colleges, 58% of community college students are women. Thirty-nine percent of the community college population are first generation college students and 36% are minorities (AACC, 2009). <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Access and affordability are staple buzzwords in the community college setting. According to the AACC, the mission of the American community college is “to provide education for individuals, many of whom are adults, in its service region (2010).” The overall majority of community colleges also include the following aspects to its mission: “serve all segments of society through an [|open-access admissions policy] that offers equal and fair treatment to all students, a comprehensive educational program, serve its community as a community-based institution of higher education, teaching, and lifelong learning (Vaughan, G.W., & American Association of Community Colleges, 2006).”

Community colleges attract an array of different populations for numerous and various reasons. Because of this diverse population, multiculturalism in the classroom is of vital importance. For many traditional and non-traditional students, the community college classrooms are their first experience of higher education and the bonds formed with the faculty and administration are unique. One of the challenges community colleges face is that each student comes in with different backgrounds, beliefs, values and collegiate preparation. In 2001, an [|Office of Educational Research and Improvement] (OERI), now called the [|Institute of Education Sciences], study shows that increasing the diversity of the community college faculty and staff is a “promising way to provide role models and establish the kind of rapport needed for effective mentoring.” Trends show that students from “underrepresented cultural and lifestyle backgrounds” are not as attracted to teaching and education careers. Studies have shown that this can be attributed to the lack of “desirable” role models in the field (Kirkpatrick, L., 2001).

Impact of Financial Aid on Historically Underrepresented Populations
Many community college students highly rely on financial aid. As a matter of fact, many underrepresented students rely on financial aid as their sole method of paying for higher education. In looking at federal and state financial aid, the amount and number of different financial aid awarded to each student may be heavy indicators in student persistence and success in the community college. In 2009, a study performed by [|Community College Review] (CCR) in Oklahoma community colleges, yield numbers that support that statement. There are three main ways community college students can receive financial aid in Oklahoma, the Pell Grant (federal), Stafford loans (federal) and the [|Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program] (OHLAP). The 2009 CCR results state that in combination or by themselves, these methods of financial aid were concluded as being “predictors of persistence” as measured by student advancement from their first year to their second year in the community college. What’s even more relevant about this study is that it assesses the populations in which financial aid may affect the most, low-income and minority students (Mendoza, P., Mendez, J.P., & Malcolm, Z., 2009). As one may extrapolate from the graph below, an important finding, the evidence supports that in the packaging of different financial aid, student success among minority and low-income students in community colleges increases. The highest Estimated Marginal Means were when all three financial aid awards were packaged together.



** Recruitment, Enrollment, and Retention **
On Tuesday, March 23, 2010, US President Barack Obama signed into law the [|Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010]. Included in this bill are conditions that change the way college student loans are awarded. The new law removes private banks from the process and puts the sole responsibility on the US government. Although the conditions will look the same, interest rate, terms and fees, students of higher education may look to benefit from a “smoother origination process (Samuleson, T.D., 2010).” About $46-billion over the next 10 years has been set aside for education spending, of which $36-billion will go toward the [|Federal Pell Grant Program] which increases support for low-income students. Other institutions that will benefit from this legislation are minority-serving institutions and programs that promote college access and completion (Fuller, A., 2010).

President Obama has also set a goal for the United States to have the highest college graduation rate in the world by 2020. The President even specifically called out community colleges to graduate 5 million more students by that time (Gonzalez, J., 2010). One of the greatest challenges that community colleges are facing, recession not-with-standing, is the need to provide remedial education to the increasingly high percentage of underprepared community college students (McClenney, K., 2009). In a national study conducted by the [|Community College Research Center], of the 250,000 community college students who were surveyed and indicated as needing remedial classes, most never even made it to college-level course work. As a more specific example, 69% of students in remedial math, and 56% in remedial reading, did not complete their corrective coursework to get into college-level courses (2005). The retention and persistence of these students should be a priority, but the structure and resources available to most community colleges make this goal a challenge. It has been debated that high school graduates should come into community colleges prepared for a certain level coursework, while the reality is that 6 out of 10 students won’t make it out of remedial classes. These students who are flooding the halls of community colleges come from different backgrounds, financial standings, cultural up-bringing, coursework preparedness, educational values and professional goals. Kay McClenney, director of the Center for Community College Student Engagement, a part of the Community College Leadership Program at the University of Texas at Austin states, “The scope of the problem is enormous, the stakes are high, and the return on investment is huge. The work is hard, but it is possible. We can do it. Moreover, we should do it -- indeed, we must (2009).”

Retention is even something that some community colleges have outsourced to private companies. [|RetentionZenTM], is a new product from [|StudentZen, Inc.,] a software company that provides “student success software services” that colleges can use in problem areas of retention through caseload management and early alerts. The video below captures a community college administrator describing how going with this product and outsourcing a retention-aid software has helped in increasing retention numbers and has been a time saver for his staff.

media type="youtube" key="OlZeV93aBUA" height="423" width="528" align="center"

Many speculate whether or not the recession is affecting college enrollment and a recent study in 2009 may show signs that it may. A [|studentPOLL] survey data states that one of six students that planned to go to college had changed their plans due to financial reasons. The data also indicates that the students hit the hardest are those coming from low-income homes, with 29% changing college plans from households that make $40,000 or less. Students coming from middleclass families, income ranging from $40,000 to $100,000, come next with 16%, while those who are from wealthier homes come in at 10%. These numbers affect community colleges in that 15% of the students surveyed stated that they were more seriously considering attending a community college (Supiano, B., & Hoover, E., 2009).

**__Tuition Reimbursement programs__**
There are over nine million [|non-traditional college students] aged 24 or older. Out of these nine million students two thirds of them are on some form of financial aid (Dougherty & Woodland, 2009). In order to continue to increase the number of non-traditionally aged student to higher education there needs to be more financial support for these adult learners. In order to promote and support the continuing pursuit of higher education there must be support programs in place to encourage the completion of college for this population. Programs should include basic and family literacy programs, workforce education programs, programs for veterans, [|Title IX programs] and other programs that can educate returning adult students and first time students of non-traditional ages (Dougherty & Woodland, 2009).

Another form of support for adult learners are employer’s tuition reimbursement programs. These programs have been around for a long time but are not as common anymore because of companies providing continuing education internally versus sending their employees to colleges or universities. Though there have been many cutbacks on funding higher education for employers $10 billion was spent on tuition reimbursement in 2003 (Dougherty & Woodland, 2009). Retention is the most important component for the employers that are funded to attend higher education. It is more likely that employers that provide higher education in an area that is specific to the employees specific job responsibilities and employees that receive degrees in areas that are unrelated are more likely to leave the company after obtaining their degree (Dougherty & Woodland, 2009). Despite the economy, many companies who provide tuition reimbursement programs are trying to continue to fund such programming.

The research on employer tuition reimbursement programs indicate that community colleges and other higher education institutions should continue to partner with companies and industries. Institutions should provide the specific training needed for these employees in order to continue these partnerships. Ultimately, the focus should remain on the student’s development regardless of the program. Tuition reimbursements programs provide billions of dollars a year as support for non-traditional students. Today’s economy has caused some cutbacks but funding for the education has continued.

**<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">__Early Commitment Financial Aid Programs__ **
<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Research has shown that many students that come from low-income homes do not prepare for higher education because they think that it will be too expensive for them to attend. Early commitment financial aid programs have been created to give these students the opportunity to attend community colleges and universities. There are many qualified low-income students that do not go to college simply because they cannot afford it though they may qualify for sufficient financial aid. The program is designed for middle school and high school students and guarantees financial aid to them as long as they meet the requirements that are designated to them. This program is designed not only to fund low-income students with the opportunity of being able to afford college but also serves as an incentive for student to do well in high school and middle school (Tierney & Venegas, 2009). Having incentive to keeping up academically also prepares students with the discipline needed when the student enters college. There is a demand for more early commitment financial aid programs and the education of what these programs consist of.

**<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">__Financial Aid Services for Native American Students__ **
<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Native Americans are amongst the most underrepresented and underserved groups in higher education. Only 51% of Native Americans graduate from high school and of these 51 only 37% enroll into college and earn a degree (Tierney & Venegas, 2007). There are many aid services in place for natives including federal government, state governments, tribal governments, institutional scholarships, and private scholarships. 68% of Native American students are on some form of financial aid putting this group in the second overall ranks of recipients of aid. Financial aid for Native American students is taken on by federal, state and tribal governments as well as the individual student and his/her family. Though there are support services in place for Native American services there needs to be more of an intentional effort to draw these students in and educate them on the aid that is available for them.

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=** __Future Trends for the Community College__ **=

Though it is impossible to determine with any certainty what the future of higher education will be, studies predict that the community college will be forced to change in many functional areas, yet maintain the same mission of access, affordability and inclusion from their inception. In predicting this future, we must take in account the future of the nation as a whole, from its economic status to public opinion, values, and workforce trends. According to the predictions of Cohen, (1996) the number of community colleges will not increase in the near future, and will only expand based on the number of branch campuses that open. Also, “Modifications will be made in program emphasis, not in program type” (Cohen, 1996).

**Green Jobs and Education**
<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Community colleges have the obligation to provide educational services relevant to the ever-changing job-market, and to keep instruction geared towards specific workforce training. The ecological movement to create more earth-friendly technology will require the public colleges to expand the education offered. Creating new ways of doing things will require new types of education, and the community college is specifically geared to meet this need. “Most of the jobs in the emerging ‘green-workforce’ will require more than a high school diploma but less than a four-year college degree” (Abdul-Alim, 2009). <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Currently, at [|Red Rocks Community College] in Lakewood, Colorado, there are courses currently being offered in solar panel installation and energy system design (Abdul-Alim, 2009). These types of courses are guaranteed to multiply in the future as alternative power sources are explored and used throughout the world.

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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">** Enrollment Changes **
<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;"> Community colleges expect to see greater enrollment numbers in the future for a variety of reasons. In the near future, the results of the economic recession will create a greater need for reduced-cost higher education. Parents who once would have been able to afford a 4-year college for their children will turn to 2-year colleges as a more affordable alternative. Community colleges cost anywhere from one half to three quarters the price tag of traditional 4-year public universities, which makes it possible for lower-income students to afford to attend college. With the increase in [|Pell Grant] allocations from the current administration, students who attend community colleges will read the benefits of more return on their grants and other forms of financial aid. President Obama issued a report on some changes he planned to make for community colleges in 2009. The following is from the article by Todd Heywood of the [|Michigan Messenger] (2009), outlining the proposed changes that would undoubtedly cause enrollment to increase in community colleges.


 * Creating a community college fund which would allow community colleges to partner with businesses and industry, expanding course offerings, investing in remedial education efforts, and developing comprehensive student centered college attendance goals and plans.
 * Fund innovative programs to help community college students complete their educations
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Provide 2.5 billion dollars in funding for upgrades of facilities in community colleges
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Create an online education program which will drastically increase online educational opportunities, by making many of these programs available for free.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Another leading factor of future enrollment increases is the inclusion of new 4-year programs in the community college structure. With students now able to stay at the same institution to complete both Associate and Bachelor’s degrees, retention is sure to rise at the community college level.

** The Move to 4-Year Degree Granting Institutions **
<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;"> Community colleges have begun transitioning to 4-year degree granting institutions, and this trend is predicted to continue and increase in the future, possibly altering the mission and structure of the community college forever. Though many see this change as a positive move, allowing for greater accessibility and options for students, (especially non-traditional students who wish to obtain a higher degree beyond the associates) there are skeptics who see this as the beginning of the end of the community college all together (Floyd, Skolnik, & Walker, 2005). Because this area is fairly new, important questions must be answered before a clear analysis of the effectiveness of the Community College Bachelor’s Degree (CCBD) can be made. Some of these questions include:

-Will the CCBD be able to meet the standard of quality that 4-year universities currently offer?

-Will faculty be held to different accountability standards for the CCBD courses than other lower level courses?

-Where will the funding of these programs come from?

-How will community colleges meet the requirements of higher quality library services and student services that 4-year colleges have?

-Will tuition and fees be raised because of the financial burden placed on community colleges?

-Will community colleges lose their open-door policy for education because of new standards and restrictive programs?

These questions, among others will be answered as students continue to matriculate from 4-year degree granting community and state colleges. Only time will tell if the community college will survive these changes while maintaining their promise of inclusion, or if the concept of, “Let everyone in and let them take what they want” will be heard anymore (Cohen, 1996).

[|Community Colleges Challenge Hierarchy with 4-Year Degrees]
 * __NY Times Article, May 2, 2009:__**

=** References **=

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